Can-flange swaging and soldering machine.



G. w. WEBER. CAN FLANGE SWAGING AND SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1907. 977,689. I Patented Dec. 6,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I men/Z211 v 'eavye Weber wd zwa w ww 024%.

THE NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, 11.1 c.

e. w. WEBER. r I (JAN FLANGE SWAGING AND SOLDERING MACHINE.

V APPLICATION FILED J'ULY8, 1907. v 977,689,. 7 v Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

3 BHBETB-BHEET 2. Z2; 2

THE NORRIS PETER; cox, WASHINGTON, n. c,

G. W. WEBERJ CAN FLANGE SWAGINGAND SOLDERING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILEDJULY 8, 1907.

927,689. Patented Dec. 6, 1910. a SHEETS-SHEET a.

x N X Q TED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

GEORGE W. WEBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CAN COMPANY,OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-FLANGE SWAGING AND SOLDERING MACHINE.

amass.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W'. WEBER, a citizen of the United States,residing in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can-Flange Swaging andSoldering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for soldering the covers on sardine orother cans, and more particularly upon cans having drawn or seamlessbodies.

Heretofore in the practical use of sardine or other cans having drawn orseamless bodies, and especially cans of a rectangular shape with roundedcorners, great diflicultyis experienced in soldering the cover on thecan with the requisite hermetic tightness owing to the fact that thedrawing operation necessarily puckers and roughens the surface of theexternally projecting flange on the can body, and also leaves the flangemore or less wavy, warped or at variance from an exact and true plane,especially at the rounded corners of the rectangular can, and alsobecause the drawing operation thins and frays the tin coating on thesoldering flange of the body, and because the trimming operation of suchflange (which is necessary to bring the flange of the drawn can body toa uniform width) leaves its outer edge with more or less of a bur. Theseseveral conditions prevent that close, smooth, flat metal to metalcontact between the soldering flange of the body and the solderingflange of the cover necessary for the production of hermetically tightsoldered joints with certainty and reliability.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient machineby means of which the covers may be rapidly and cheaply soldered on thedrawn or seamless bodies of sardine or other cans after they are filledand by which the difliculties or objections heretofore experienced maybe practically overcome or obviated and perfect hermetically tightsolder joints produced.

The machine which I have devised to accomplish this object or result isdesigned and intended for successful operation upon drawn cans, havingexternally projecting flanges provided with a film or coating of solderfusibly united to the tin coating of the flanges.

The machine embodying my invention Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1907.

Patented Dec. 6, 191%).

Serial No. 382,724.

comprises in cooperative combination the following devices: A movablecarrier or conveyer having a series of can body flange swaging dies forsupporting the sardine or other can body by its externally projectingflange; a filling plunger for forcing or leveling the sardines or othermaterial in the can and clearing the upper surface of the solderingflange from projecting pieces of fish,

scale, skin, tail, etc., as far as may be, and supplying to each canthenecessary oil or other liquid; a cooperating movable swaging die forswaging and pressing'together under great pressure the soldering flangesof the can body and cover and thus removing from the body flange thedrawing puckers, creases, war-pings or other irregularities and bringingthe cover and body flanges into snug, close, metal to metal contactthroughout and causing the finer puckers or irregularities which are notsmoothed out by the swaging operation to be embedded in the soldercoating between the superposed flanges, and in a measure partially coldwelding the flanges together; a cooperating swaging and fusing die tofuse and weld the flanges 0f the body and cover together under pressure;an independently movable cover holder for such heated swaging dieoperating to press and hold the cover on the body until the heatedswaging die is withdrawn;

and a cooperating cooling swaging die to snugly close together anyinterstices or leaks that might remain or be due to pieces of fish orscale or other foreign substance between the flanges of the body andcover at any point or points.

My invention consists in the novel construction of parts and devices andin the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown anddescribed and more particularly specified in the claims.v

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a can flange swaging and soldering machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail verticallongitudinal section through the upper and lower dies. Fig. 4: is adetail plan view of a portion of the carrier and lower dies carriedthereby. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the cams for operating thecross head. Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged section through the solderingflanges of the can body and cover before the die swaging operation andFig. 7 is a similar view after the flanges have been operated upon bythe swaging dies.

In the drawing, A represents the frame of the machine. B a verticallymovable cross head reciprocating in suitable guides or ways C on theframe of the machine for operating a series of plungers or dies D, E, F,G, each preferably adjustably connected to the cross head by wedges b,7) and bolts 6 H is a horizontally movable can body can rier having aseries of dies h for supporting the can bodies X by their externallyseaming flanges .1: and which cotip'erate each in turn successively withthe dies D, E, F, G on the cross head B. The can b'od'y die carrier H ispreferably a flexible or chain carrier and comprises a series of linksit connected together by cross pins 7L K is an anvil block or guide tosupport the dies it against the thrust of the recipro= eating dies orplunger-s D, E, F, G, the anvil blo'ck being secured to or made integralwith the frame A. Each of the dies it has a recess 7L3 forming anupwardly projectii'ig wall 71* to receive and surround the flange a: ofthe can body X and thus hold the can body securely in position in thedie 71..

The reciprocating filling plunger or die D fits snugly within the mouthof the can body X and is preferably furnished with a marginal downwardlyprojecting flange (Z to aid in forcing and leveling the sardines, fishor other material within the can and clearing the soldering flange w ofthe can body from projecting pieces of fish, scale, skin, tail,- etc.The filling plunger or die D is also provided with a duct or channel (Zfor supplying oil or other liquid to the can as may be desired. This oilfilling duct or chamber (l is preferably furnished with a valve (Zhaving a stem d for opei'iing the same as the plunger approaches the endof its downward stroke. The supply pipe d is also preferably furnishedwith a valve (Z which is opened on the upward stroke of the fillingplunger D by an arm (Z hinged to the stationary stud (Z the two valvesthus operating as a measuring device so that on each downward stroke ofthe filling plunger a measured quantity of oil, that contained betweenthe two valves, is delivered into each can. A spring (Z holds the valve(Z normally closed, and the arm (Z holds the valve (Z normally open orclosed as required. The valves, it will be observed are openedalternately, one on the down stroke and the other on the up stroke ofthe filling plunger.

The carrier H has an intermittent or step by step movement and after thecan X has been operated upon by the filling plunger D, it is movedforward one step to the station L where the cover X is fedor slippedinto the die 72, with its soldering flange m on top of the solderingflange w of the can body X.

' The feeding or delivery of the can cover X onto the can body may bedone by any suitable means, mechanical or otherwise; as illustrated inthe drawing is intended to be done by hand. At the next forward step ofthe carrier H, the can body X in the die it is moved into registry withthe swaging die E, by which, in connection with the die h, the drawingpuckers, creases, warpings or other irregularities which prevent a snug,

close, flat, metal to metal contact between the soldering flanges of thebody and cover,

are sivaged out, as shown in F ig. 7 At the next forward step of thecarrier H, the can body with the cover thereon is brought into registrywith the hot swaging die F, which, in cotip'eration with the carrier dieIt hot swages or fuses and welds the soldering flanges of the body andcover securely together. The hot swaging die F is prefer ably hollow, orfurnished with a heating chamber f into which gas mixed with air insuitable proportions is admitted through the burner pipe The hot swagingdie F is also fu rnishec'l with orifices f for escape of products ofcombustion. The hot swag'ing die F should preferably be kept heated to atemperature of about five hundred to eight hundred degrees Fair, so thatduring the downward stroke and dwell of the hot swag in'g die againstthe can body flange, the film of solder 00 with which the can bodyflange w is coated will be fused or brought so nearly to a state offusion that the can body and can cover flanges under pressure of theupper and lower dies F, it, will be securely hot welded or fusedtogether.

The hot swaging die F is preferably furnished with an independentlymovable cover holder F which is preferably mounted within a cavity f inthe hot swaging die F. A spring f acts against the cover holder F andcauses it to press against the cover in advance of the die F on the downstroke and to hold the cover firmly seated until the hot swaging die Fis partially withdrawn from the cover. The cover holder F for the hotswaging die preferably has a hollow chain;

\ mit water or other cooling fluid through the water supply pipe 9 andexit pipe 9 By the stroke of the cooling and closing die G on theflanges 00 m of the can body and cover i any possible leaks or crevicesbetween the j flanges incldent to mterposed pieces of fish, skin, fin,scale, tall or other obstructions will be effectually closed. Thecooperative action of the cooling and closing die G with the can bodysupporting die It also serves to quickly cool the solder united flanges.

M is the main cam shaft of the machine journaled in suitable boxes M onthe frame and having a gear m meshing with the gear a on the drivingshaft N. The cam shaft M is preferably furnished with two or more,preferably four similar cams m for engaging anti-friction rollers b onthe cross head B to operate the cross head. These cams are preferablyshaped about as illustrated in Fig. 5 so as to cause the several dies D,E, F, G to make their up and down strokes during about one. third ofeach revolution and then to give the several dies a dwell at theirlowermost position during about two thirds of a revolution of the camshaft. This dwell is especially important for the hot swaging die F andalso aids the operation of the cooling die G, as it gives time for theheat of the hot die F to act upon the solder coating 00 of the can bodyflange and the tin coating of the can cover flange to effect a fusion orwelding of the metals together, and as it also gives time for thecooling die G to effectually set the fused solder or metal between thesolder ing flanges. for the filling die or plunger D, as it gives timefor the oil or other liquid supplied to the can to flow into the samebefore the die begins to be withdrawn from the can. This dwell is alsoserviceable for the swaging die E as it prevents any quick rebound orseparation of the dies E and h which might tend to separate or permitthe separation of the soldering flanges a: and 07 of the can body andcover after being struck by the swaging die E. a

The journal boxes M of the cam shaft M are preferably yieldingly held inplace by powerful springs P, the tension of which may be regulated byadjusting screws 1?. This yielding spring backing or support for thecross head operating cam shaft gives a yielding pressure of the dies D,E, F, G against the can body flanges while not interfering with theproper swaging action of the dies in removing or obliterating thedrawing puckers, creases or irregularities in the can body flanges.

To partially counterbalance the cross head B and aid in withdrawing thedies carried thereby, it is furnished with counterbalance springs Bsurrounding rods B connected with the cross head.

The carrier H is mounted on sprocket wheels H H and its requiredintermediate or step by step movement is imparted to it, preferably by aGeneva stop or other suitable mechanism R comprisingthe stop disk r onthe shaft H and the cooperating stop disk to which the reference letterR is particularly applied on the shaft H of the This dwell is alsoserviceable having a series of can sprocket wheel H said stop diskhaving radial slots r and curved faces 1' engaging the curved faces 1*and pins o 011 the con tinuously rotating disk 1" on the shaft H of thegear 1* to which motion is communicated from the cam shaft M by bevelgears r 011 the cam shafts M, and bevel gears r and r on thecountershaft r, the latter gear r moshing with the gear of the Genevastop mechanism.

While the machine of my invention is specially designed and intended foroperation upon drawn cans, the externally pro jecting soldering flangesof which are more or less puckered, creased and warped by the drawingoperation, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that myimproved machine may be used for soldering the covers on other cans thandrawn cans, and that, in operating upon cans wherein the solder ingflanges of the can body and cover have slight, if any, puokers, creases,warpings or irregularities, the several swaging plungers or dies E, F, Gmay be adjusted to exert greater or less pressure or swaging action uponthe can body and cover flanges as may be required.

I claim 1. In a can-body and can-cover flange swaging and solderingmachine, the combination of an intermittently movable carrier having aseries of can body flange engaging dies for supporting the can bodies bytheir externally projecting soldering flanges, of a filling plunger forforcing or leveling the material in the can and clearing the uppersurface of the can body flange from projecting pieces and supplying toeach can the desired oil or liquid, a swaging die for swaging andpressing together the soldering flanges of the body and cover andremoving drawing puckers, creases, warpings and other irregularitiesfrom the body flange, a heated swaging die for fusing or welding theflanges of body and cover together under pressure, an independentlymovable cover holder for the heated swaging die, a cooling and closingdie to close together any remaining leaks or interstices, a reci'arocating cross head for operating said dies, and means forintermittently moving the carrier to bring the several can bodysupporting dies thereon into registry successively with the several dieson the cross head, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a movable carrier body flange engaging dies forsupporting the can bodies by their externally projecting solderingflanges, of a swaging die for pressing together the soldering flanges ofthe body and cover and removing drawing puckers, creases, warpings andother irregularities from the body flange, a heated swaging die forfusing or welding the flanges of body and cover together under pressure,an independently movable cover holder for the heated swaging die, and acooling and closing die, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a movable carrier having can body flange engagingdies for supporting the can bodies by their externally projectingsoldering flanges, of a swaging die cooperating in turn with each ofsaid dies on said carrier for pressing together the soldering flanges ofthe can body and cover and a heated swaging die cooperating in turn witheach of said dies on said carrier for fusing or welding the flanges ofbody and cover together under pressure, and a stationary anvil bed tosupport said can body flange engaging dies and resist the thrust of saidswaging die and of said heated swaging die, substantially as specified.

at. The combination with a carrier having a series of can body flangeengaging dies, of an opposing heated die cooperating in turn with eachof said dies on said carrier for fusing or welding the flanges of bodyand cover together under pressure, and a stationary anvil bed to supportsaid can body flange engagingdies and resist the thrust of said opposingheated die, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a carrier having a series of can body flangeengaging dies, of an opposing heated die for fusing o-r welding theflanges of body and cover together under pressure, and a cooling andclosing die, and a stationary anvil bed to support said can body flangeengaging dies and resist the thrust of said opposing heated die and ofsaid cooling and closing die, substantially as specified.

6. In a machine for soldering covers on can bodies having externallyprojecting soldering flanges, the combination with a carrier having aplurality of lower dies each adapted to support and engage the solderingflange of the body, of a heated opposing die cooperating in turn witheach of said dies on said carrier for pressing and fusing the solderingflange of the cover on the soldering flange of the body, and astationary anvil bed to support said can body flange engaging dies andresist the thrust of said opposing heated die, substantially asspecified.

7. In a machine for soldering covers on can bodies having externallyprojecting soldering flanges, the combination with a lower die engagingthe soldering flange of the body, of a heated opposing die for pressingand fusing the soldering flange of the cover on the soldering flange ofthe body, and an independently movable cover holder for said heated die,substantially as specified.

8. In a machine for soldering covers on can bodies having externallyprojecting soldering flanges, the combination with a lower die engagingthe soldering flange of the body, of a heated opposingdie for pressingand fusing the soldering flange of the cover on the soldering flange ofthe body, and a closing die, substantially as specified.

9. In a machine for soldering covers on can bodies having externallyprojecting soldering flanges, the combination with a lower die engagingthe soldering flange of the body, of a heated opposing die for pressingand fusing the soldering flange of the cover on the soldering flange ofthe body, an independently movable cover holder for said heated die, anda closing die, substantially as specified.

10. The combination with a traveling lower die engaging the solderingflange of the can body, of an opposing die for pressing the solderingflanges of cover and body flat together, and a heated fusing die,substantially as specified.

11. The combination with a traveling lower die engaging the solderingflange of the can body, of an opposing die for pressing the solderingflanges of cover and body flat together, a heated fusing die and aclosing die, substantially as'specified.

12. The combination with a traveling lower die engaging the solderingflange of the can body, of an opposing'die for pressing the solderingflanges of cover and body flat together, a heated fusing die, a closingdie, zfiind a filling plunger, substantially as speci- 13. Thecombination with a traveling lower die engaging the soldering flange ofthe can body, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flanges ofcover and body flat together, a heated fusing die, a closing die, and afilling plunger having a liquid supply duct, substantially as specified.

14. The combination with a traveling lower die engaging the solderingflange of the can body, of an opposing die for pressing the solderingflanges of cover and body flat together, a heated fusing die, aclosingdie, a filling plunger having a liquid supply duct and valves to controlthe supply of liquid to each can, substantially as specified.

15. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangeson the can bodies, of a filling plunger and a die for pressing thesoldering flanges of the cover and body together, substantially asspecified.

16. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangeson the can bodies, of a filling plunger, a die for pressing thesoldering flanges of the cover and body together, and a fusing die,substantially as specified.

17 The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of can bodyholding dies engaging the externally projecting emcee specified.

18. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangeson the can bodies, of a filling plunger, a die for pressing thesoldering flanges of the cover and body together, a fusing die, and aclosing die, said fusing die having an independently movable coverholder, substantially as specified.

19. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flanges011 the can bodies, of a filling plunger, and a die for pressing thesoldering flanges of the cover and body together, said filling plungerhaving a marginal downwardly projecting flange, substantially asspecified.

20. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangeson the can bodies, of a filling plunger and a die for pressing thesoldering flanges of the cover and body together, said filling plungerhaving a liquid supply duct and a valve, substantially as specified.

21. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing heated fusing die cooperating in turnwith each of said dies on said carrier, and a stationary anvil bed tosupport said can body flange engaging dies and resist the thrust of saidopposing heated die substantially as specified.

22. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies .engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing heated fusing die, and aninclependently movable cover holder, substantially as specified.

28. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an op posing heated fusing die, and anindependently movable cover holder having a cooling chamber,substantially as specified.

2 1. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an op posing heated fusing die, an independentlymovable cover holder having a cooling chamber, and a closing die,substantially as specified.

25. The combination with a movable carri er having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing heated fusing die, an independentlymovable cover holder havlng a cooling chamber, and a closing die havinga cooling chamber, substantially as specified.

26. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an op posing die for pressing the solderingflanges of the can body and cover together, and a heated fusing die,substantially as specified.

27. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flangesof the can body and cover together, and a heated fusing die, saidfusingdie having an internal heating chamber, substantially asspecified.

28. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flangesof the can body and cover together, a heated fusing die, and a coverholder for said fusing die, substantially as specified.

29. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flangesof the can body and cover together, a heated fusing die, and a coverholder for said fusing die having an internal cooling chamber,substantially as specified.

30. The combination With a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flangesof the can body and cover together, a heated fusing die, a cover holderfor said fusing die, and a closing die, substantially as specified.

31. The combination With a movable carrier having a pluralityv of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flangesof the can body and cover together, a heated fusing die, a cover holderfor said fusing die, and a closing die having an internal coolingchamber, substantially as specified.

32. The combination with a movable carrier having a plurality of canbody holding dies engaging the externally projecting soldering flangesof the can bodies, of an opposing die for pressing the soldering flangesof the can body and cover together, a heated fusing die, a cover holderfor said fusing die, a closing die and a filling plunger, subfusinglclie, a gol er holder for sail fusing staiitially as spe'cifid. di, itldsiiig' die, and a filling plunger hav- 10 33. The cor'nbiiiatibn witha movable caring :1 liquid supply duct and valve, substanrier having aplurality (if 'czin b'bdy holding tially as specified.

' dies ehgagiiig the externally prdjecting GEORGE W. XVEBER;

soldering flanges of the can bodis, of an op- Vitiiesses: I posing diefor pressing the soldering flanges JAMES E. MONELLIE,

of the Can body and cover together, a heated I BERT L. WRIGHT.

